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Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 166, 3 April 1918, Page 3

The Chautauqua Movement. Miss Cowan, an American lady, is at present touring tho southern part of tlio State in tho endeavour to start tho Chautauqua movement in. New South Wales (states tho Goulburu correspondent of tl)9 "Sunday Times"). Cootamundra a.nd AVa.gga have enthusiastically taken the matter up, and Miss Cowan is at present in Goulburn, where she is meeting with equal success. The president of the Goulburn Chamber of Commerce called a meeting which Miss Cowan addressed, and that body is already supporting the the Mayor being also in favour of it. The Chautauqua movement -was bogun many years ago on the shores of Lake Chautauqua, U.S.A., a Methodist bishop making the place famous with a series of oamp meetings. Since then it has spread through the United States and Canada. A series of circuits lias . been established, and all the celobrated speakers and ontertainers of the day address enormous gatherings. Tho object is purely educational, and tho Chautauqua is ono of the greatest forces in America to-day. An endeavour is now being made with every prospect of success to start it in New South Wales, and it apgoars probable that Goulburn will be one of tho big centres. No difficulty is being experienced in finding guarantors for the necessary funds. Women's National Reserve. The annual meeting of .the Island Bay branch of the W.N.R. was held last week. Mrs. Porter (organising secretary) presided. Tho annual report and balance-sheet were adopted, the report showing that this a very active branch, with an excellent record of work for tho .Red Cross. Members combined with "the Lvall Bay branch for their day at the Red Cross Shop and realised tho sum of £245 Os. lid. Before starting sales at the shop the branch handed in £102 Bs. lid., tho result of a lecture by Mrs. Corliss, a cheque per Mrs. Neale, a children's party, a sale of. goods, etc. They also handed in £10 towards "Sailors' Day," £10 to tho Central Red Cross day October, and a sum of £6 lis. was raised at the Red Triangle Cake Sliojj. His branch helped towards tho Raetibi Relief Fund by sending numbers of parcels, and provided' some excellent paokers. The members feel greatly indebted to St. Vestry for the u,se of the clubroom, also the hall. The president through indisposition was unable to bo present at the meeting. Her work has been an inspiration, and splendid results have been obtained thereby. Mrs. Barnard, lately arrived from Taranaki, was elected vice-presidont. Besides giving., sis sons to the war,-Mrs. Barnard lias "(lone an immense amount of patriotic work'; in Eltham, having raised the sum of £700 for a motor ambulance, and with the help of friends sent in 5678 children's garments to the Belgian Eund, as well as sending, in 1915, 86 complete outfits for Belgian children of 18 and 14 years. She has also sent comforts to the men in the trenches to the extent of 479 cases, and members feel that she will be a great acquisition to'the, branch. The following committee was elected:—Mesckmes Bath, Moss Neale, Lowther, Sharland, Bonce, Griffith, Parker, and Bruce; Mrs. Clarke, treasurer; and Mrs. Boocock re-eleoted secretarv. Milch of the success of the branch is due to the untiring energy of the latter lady. A London cablegram, which appeared in the Melbourne "Age" last woek, states that Lady Robinsoji, wife of the Queensland Agent-General, has been appointed a commandant of an Australian section of the Voluntary Aid Detachment.